Where the Fence is Low
by JuneGrayson
Summary: After the Teen Titans are disbanded Raven leads a new 'normal' life, but everything changes when someone from her past unexpectedly shows up unannounced in the middle of the night. Raven x Robin/Nightwing.
1. Chapter 1: Where the fence is low

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Teen Titans. DUH**

It was another autumn afternoon at the Titan's tower. The sun was setting, the sky painted red, orange and pink, the colours of dusk. It would have been another random afternoon, but it wasn't. Raven stared at the horizon numbly. This was it. After all those of years of fighting crime, of sharing, of happiness and darkness, they, the Teen Titans were finally disbanding. Tears stung her eyes, menacing to escape; she inhaled deeply and held her breath. How could it be over so fast?

The team was drifting apart, and it was quite evident during the last few months. Starfire was the first one to leave, she was needed in her home planet, as the only truthful heir left. Cyborg moved with Titans East; Speedy had left to join the Justice League and as the crime rates in Steel City increased, the half-robot had no other choice. Beast Boy was tired of being considered a child so he changed his name as well as his team, joining The Ravegers, a new superhero team.

Raven's train of thought was interrupted by footsteps.

"It's all done. I've already packed everything. I guess we're ready to go" Robin approached her and stood next to her by the edge of the roof. "Are you ready?"

Unable to speak Raven nodded but kept her eyes locked in the horizon. Robin reached for her hand and held it softly. They remained silent for a while, staring ahead, the crashing waves beneath filled the silence.

"It's funny, you know, we were the first two members… and now, the last ones left" He half mumbled, breaking the stillness of the afternoon. Realizing her silence he tugged at her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "Are you okay Rae?"

She nodded again, trying to fight back the tears, but it was too late. Robin saw them rolling silently down her face and carefully wiped them off. Raven stared at the floor, unable to say goodbye to him.

"I'll miss you. I'll miss everyone, this place; you were my family" she finally answered.

"Rae, this is not a goodbye, remember, we'll still see each other. We _are_ family, _your_ family" he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head "Don't ever forget that".

They sat by the edge for a moment, the sun was finally gone when she spoke again.

"Hey, you should go, you're going to be late and then Bruce will be mad at me for delaying you" she said reminding him of his new mission with Batman as she broke away from his arms.

"Shit, you're right. But still, don't worry, we'll be in touch. Promise?' he said as he extended his pinky finger up. A smile escaped from her lips, a true smile, a smile that only he could steal away from her. She wrapped her pinky with his and she blushed a little. 'Promise'.

* * *

**_Two Months Later_**

* * *

Raven paced along her apartment. Anatomy books were sprawled across the floor; her once violet hair was now black and tied up in a messy bun. The TV was on but on mute, showing the news channel. She was going to fail, she knew it. Tomorrow was her first Anatomy exam and she could not bring herself to remember the distal insertions of the inferior limb muscles. She was terrified.

After spending almost seven years fighting the most evil creatures and villains, the exam tomorrow scared the shit out of her. _Now that the Titans are over you can finally study Medicine! Great idea Raven, couldn't you just be a florist? _ She looked at the clock and sat down on the couch. It was late so she decided to review everything one last time and then go to sleep. Cleo, her cat, purred softly on her lap.

After she was done revising, as she was cleaning up the mess she had left behind, something on the TV screen caught her attention. She read the captions and her stomach dropped. 'A new superhero to watch over Blüdhaven' the caption said. It was _him._ She stared at the screen, a photo of him, it _was_ him, different suit, definitely taller, but it was _him. _He wore a black suit with blue details; his hair was a bit longer and messier than usual. Was that a _raven_ on his chest? _Okay Raven you need to calm down_, she said to herself, grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.

'It seems our new hero is here to protect us, Blüdhaven's new guardian angel is Nightwing, a solitary hero that works during the night.' The broadcaster announced.

She stared blankly at the screen and then sighed, heading towards her room. She was going to change into her pajamas when a strong gust of wind disrupted her room, the curtains fluttering angrily. It was winter and she was sure she hadn't opened the window, it was freezing outside. She closed the window and a shiver run down her spine as she heard her cat hiss, something she did only when she was facing an intruder.

She sensed another person's presence in the room and turned around checking for the trespasser, holding her powers back, but ready to be used. Nothing caught her attention; nothing seemed out of the ordinary… suddenly she felt strong hands grabbing her shoulders, she spun around and screamed. A hand came down to her mouth and muffled her scream partially. Hopefully John, her next door neighbour heard her and would help her.

Her eyes widened at the man holding her.

"Damn it Rae! You'll wake up the neighbours!" he said "Just two months have passed and you can't recognize me? Don't scream, ok?" he pleaded as he removed his hand from her mouth.

"Shit Robin, you scared the living Hell out of me! Don't ever do that again!" she said pushing at his chest as he chuckled. "What?"

"Sorry, haven't been called Robin in a long time" he stated staring at her half-dressed figure. "Pink looks good on you".

Raven blushed deeply as she was reminded of her clothing, or rather her lack of clothing. She was in a pink sports bra and pajama shorts. She threw on a white tank top as quickly as she could.

"It's not my fault a certain Boy Blunder decides to break into my apartment while I am changing into my pajamas. Stop laughing Rob- I mean _Nightwing_. Or I'll send you into another dimension".

He approached her and hugged her. "I've missed you" he said as he inhaled her scent.

"I missed you too" she hugged him back.

They were interrupted by the buzzing sound of her doorbell.

"And that must be my worried neighbour" she said breaking away from the embrace.

"Rachel? Are you ok?" John's muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "I heard you scream"

Raven headed towards the door and motioned Nightwing to hide in her room. She opened the door just enough for her head to pop outside.

"Hey John, everything's okay, I just hit my pinky with my bedside table" she said faking a smile.

John stood on the corridor, his auburn hair messy, and his brown eyes hidden behind a pair of thick glasses.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm just nervous I've got an exam tomorrow and I really need to go to sleep"

"Oh okay, see you tomorrow, maybe we could grab some coffee after you're done, just let me know"

"Okay, great, see you then. Thanks John". She said as she closed the door.

"Good luck! Goodnight Rachel". He said, his voice hushed by the walls of the apartment. Raven went back to her room.

"Rachel?" Nightwing questioned her as he sat on her bed.

"Yes, I go by Rachel now" She stood in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest. She sighed. "I can't do this right now… I've got this huge exam tomorrow and…"

"Med School, huh?"

"How did you know?"

"I keep track of you Rae, do you think I will just leave you all alone?"

"You haven't called for two months! I couldn't reach you! You even blocked our bond and you… _you_ had access to all of my information?"

"The perks of being Batman's ex-side kick I guess. Besides, I needed to keep you safe, until I got settled with this new identity, it was not easy Rae, trust me".

"Okay, we'll talk later, right now I need to sleep. It's complicated" she opened the window and motioned him out.

"You're seeing someone?" he asked out of the blue.

"What?"

"It's him, right? John?" he inquired standing up, towering over her.

"Really _Robin_? He's just my neighbor. And what's the problem? What if I am seeing someone? Am I forbidden? I can control my emotions pretty well now, you know?"

"You're hiding something from me. Don't lie to me" he closed the space between them.

"What do you want me to say? That I miss the Titans, that I miss my friends. I've missed you like hell _Richard_. I couldn't stop thinking abo-"

Her words were hushed by his lips crashing down on hers. Her eyes widened in shock and a few items were suspended and tossed around her room. She was too shocked to respond, but something inside her clicked, and despite her anger, she kissed him back, deepening the kiss. They fell back on her bed, he was careful enough not to crush her beneath his weight. His tongue asked for entrance and with a low moan she let him in. Her fingers intertwined in his hair, his mouth still on hers. Raven broke the kiss, leaving them both breathing hard. Nightwing's lips hovered over hers, but she brought her index finger to his lips, stopping him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Is that a raven on your suit?"

He stared back at her through his mask, she bit her lower lip. He peeled off his mask and revealed his eyes to her. They were deep blue, full of wonder, full of intensity, full of… love?

Before she could speak again he was kissing her again. He pulled her hair free of its bun and he broke the kiss this time.

"Your hair… I liked it better before" he said stroking her now black locks.

"Shut up" she said pulling him down for another kiss.

* * *

**That's it :) hope you liked it. it's been a while since I wrote a fanfic. I'm still a little rusty. Please leave a review :) go ahead, I won't bite.**


	2. Chapter 2: Cold Water

**This story was intended to be a OneShot but the reviews encouraged me to keep on writing a little bit more. **

**thanks to Emmi30307 and to the Guest reviewer too**

**Enjoy :)**

**I clearly do NOT own Teen Titans**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Raven woke up lazily but suddenly froze. Her eyes shot open as she felt something next to her; _someone,_ more precisely speaking.

Memories from last night flooded her mind. She felt his arm hug her tightly as he pulled her closer to him. She shivered as his warm breath tickled the back of her neck.

_Shit._

Suddenly remembering her exam and how she was probably going to be late by now, she phased out of Richard's hold and started to change desperately into her clothes. She threw on a red sweater and her white lab coat, which was required for her exam.

"Good morning sunshine" a raspy voice addressed her as she tied her hair up. "Leaving so soon?"

But before she even turned to look at him, she phased out of the room and a few seconds later she was standing inside a booth on one of the university's bathrooms, hopefully the one that was near to her class. She rushed through the hallways and arrived just in time as a doctor was calling her name.

"Ms. Rachel Roth…" She entered the exam room, cursing inwardly and scared to death.

* * *

It was 5 o' clock when she finally arrived back home. The exam had been quite difficult, and although she had managed to pass, she felt as she could have done a lot better. John followed her inside; he held two coffees and a bag with blueberry muffins. He was planning on taking her out for coffee but the weather was dreadful, a snow storm was coming, so they decided to grab the coffees and head home.

"Let me help you with your overcoat" he said as he placed the coffees and the muffins on the coffee table.

"I can manage, don't wo—" her words died on her lips. Her eyes widened at what they saw.

Just by the middle of the hall there was a massive flower arrangement of white lilies and forget me not's.

"Wow, John, you didn't have to…" she finally said.

"Um… I didn't. I mean, I didn't bring you this" he said motioning the flowers "Seems like you got a secret admirer… check for a card or something"

Raven paced timidly towards the arrangement and looked for any sort of card, but she already knew exactly who was behind this. At the back of one of the lilies she found a little blue paper and quickly hid it from John's view.

"No name, must have been my friend St- Kori, yeah, my friend Kori" she clumsily lied.

"Ok… should we drink these? They're getting cold…" he asked as he sat down.

"Um, sure, let's, yeah, let's drink the… coffee" she snapped out of her train of thoughts and sat on the couch next to him.

The afternoon went by as they drunk their coffee and ate their muffins. John laughed as a bit of blueberry stuff decorated Raven's lips. He leaned over to wipe it off but was interrupted by the buzzing sound of the doorbell. Raven stood up, blushing, and threw the door open, only to find no one was there.

"Who was it?"

"Apparently, no one"

"Well I'm leaving anyway, it's almost eight and I still have some things to do, so. Bye Rachel" he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks John. See you tomorrow". She replied as she closed the door behind her.

She gasped in surprise as she saw a certain man leaning on her room's doorframe.

"Shit Nightwing, is this how it's going to be?" she breathed out.

"Surprise?"

"Nice trick Boy Wonder"

"What?" he said, closing the space between them with a couple of strides.

"The doorbell trick?" she said raising an eyebrow questioningly at him.

"I had to get rid of him" he confessed, playing with a lock of her hair "Did you like the flowers?"

"Pompous, aren't we?" she said as a smile escaped from her lips and colour flooded her face.

"I heard you were great in the exam, I just wanted to bring you a little gift, is that so wrong?" he gave her a quick peck on the lips and she took a step back.

He caught her hand and pulled her towards him. She looked up and he kissed her softly.

"So you're into coffee now?" he said as he pulled away, tasting the remnants of coffee on her lips.

"Just latte, tea is still my favourite though"

"Great, I can make you some then"

"Aren't you supposed to be fighting crime during the night or something like that?"

"Yes, every single night" he said as he poured some water in the kettle.

"So why are you still here?" she inquired as she noticed that he was not wearing his uniform.

"Well, with the snow storm and the bad weather, the chances of any illegal activities are pretty low, most bad guys don't like to frolic in the snow, you know? Anyway, I have my communicator, just in case"

They sat by the couch silently. Raven looked at Richard and caught him staring at her.

"What?" she deadpanned.

"I've really missed you Rae. It just feels like a dream, and..." he admitted as he stroked her cheek.

"Richard, don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving Blüdhaven. But we need to sort things out. Things are going to get complicated. It all seems great now with your two nights off but..."

"But?" he requested, leaning towards her, resting his forehead on hers.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if this is going to work out and..."

"And?"

She hesitated but replied anyway, not able to look at him directly "I'm scared".

"Rae, you don't have to be" he said in a whisper, his lips gracing hers. He started planting small kisses along her neck. His presence was intoxicating; she was going to give in to him, she wanted to surrender and kiss him endlessly, but her rational side pulled her out of her fantasy and reminded her that they needed to sort things out before they got out of hand.

"What are we?" she finally said.

"Huh?" he mumbled, lost in her.

"What are we Robin?" she repeated, pushing him away softly, and staring intently into his blue eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"Rae I..." he fidgeted with his hands. Something he only did when he was nervous... or _lying._

"I knew it. That's what I am to you? A toy? A pet you come and visit when you're sad and lonely?" she confronted him, standing up. Well, actually _trying_ to stand up, because he had a strong grip on her arm and when she tried to pull away, he pulled her down, crashing her body with his, and kissed her roughly, desperately. The lights flickered and then suddenly they went out. They were left in the dark.

"I love you Raven".

Abruptly the lights came back with a forceful glow and they shattered into million pieces of glass.

"Oops?"

* * *

**That's it, hope you like it :) please leave a review, (it really helps) pretty pleaseeee :3**


	3. Chapter 3: Carousel

_**Thanks so much for the reviews! **_

_**here's chapter 3 ;)**_

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes Richard, I really want to do this"

"Really, Rae? A party at your apartment?"

"It's not a party, it's a reunion. I contacted them and we've got the chance to be together again, at least for one night. It's not a common thing that we can all be available on the same night".

"Whatever you like, Rae."

"You don't sound very convinced about it"

"I don't want you to stress out, your powers are a bit off lately and—

"Shit"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Raven lied, masking her voice with her usual monotone, trying to grab all the bags that had "accidentally" fallen from the shelves and keep her cell phone to her ear at the same time. "And there's nothing wrong with my powers…."

Raven trailed off as she saw a woman staring at her with a confused look "There's nothing wrong with my powers of _deduction_, Richard. Can I call you back later?" the woman left, pushing her trolley down the aisle.

She sighed. That was why she hated coming to the supermarket. The stares were really annoying. She was glad she had dyed her hair black; if she had had her natural colour they would have recognized her easily. She looked down at her trolley already full with sodas, chips and frozen pizza, and ice cream, of course.

She went to the line and waited patiently as the cashier beeped and checked her things. She pushed the fully loaded trolley through the parking lot towards her car.

* * *

Raven stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself up with a white fluffy towel. She was almost done; the table was set, she had already cleaned up the flat and the muffling sound spell she had worked so hard on was already up. They didn't want any eavesdroppers or curious fans around. She looked down at the outfit that was lying on her bed, a deep blue summer dress that went down to her feet. She began to change, and when she was about to throw her dress on she felt a rather well-known presence behind her.

"Hey beautiful" a husky voice she knew too well saluted her. Raven didn't dare to turn around in her current state. She was just in her underwear, black panties and a dark blue lacy bra. She shivered as a pair of arms embraced her waist from behind.

"I'm almost done… I just need to put my dress on and—" she gasped as he began to trail sweet kisses down her neck. Colour flooded her face as he span her around to face him. He leaned down to kiss her but she frowned at him and stepped away. "Just for the record, my powers are _fine._ You can be so annoying sometimes you make me lose focus"

"Oh, how so?" he said as he approached her and placed his hands on her hips tentatively, pushing her against him. A few items were surrounded by black energy.

"Richard I really need to get dressed before—" she was once more interrupted by his lips on hers. The kiss was shy at first but it turned passionate in a matter of seconds. They hadn't seen each other for a few days now and he was a bit on edge. Raven finally found the strength to break the kiss. "I really need to change; they'll be here in a few minutes".

She moved away from him and was finally able to change. He stared at her thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving her.

"I've missed you Rae, I haven't seen you for a week. I—I wanted to ask you something and…"

Raven raised an eyebrow in surprise as she was putting her sandals on, it was already summer and it was hot enough to wear them.

"Rae—I… would you…" he stumbled on his words but finally said it "Would you be my girlfriend?"

"I thought after dating for almost six months I was already your girlfriend boy blunder" she deadpanned as she stood up and walked towards him.

"Yes, of course. But, I want to make it officially official" he explained as he grabbed her hand softly and slid something on her finger, her eyes widened. She looked down at the silver ring that now rested on her ring finger and back up at him. Before she could respond the doorbell rang.

"We'll talk about this later, we can't tell them yet, ok?" she said before heading towards the door as he followed close behind her.

* * *

Starfire, Beast Boy (now Changeling) and Cyborg stood on the hallway as she opened the door, she quickly brought a finger to her lips, ordering to remain silent and let them in. As soon as she closed the door, Starfire crashed her in one of her trademark hugs.

"Oh friend Raven, I'm so glad to see you again! I've missed you like the crazy"

"Me too Star" she managed to say "I need to—breathe"

"Oh sorry friend" she apologized letting Raven go as she spotted her ex leader and squealed "Robin!"

"Look at you, come on, give your big brother a hug" Cyborg exclaimed, opening his arms towards the empath.

"Hey Rae-Rae, no hugs for me?" Changeling said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Don't call me that Beast _Boy_" she said giving him a quick hug. He was way taller than her now, and he was physically not a boy anymore.

"It's Changeling actually. I'm a grown man now" he said as he brought his hands to his hips.

"Yeah sure" she said rolling her eyes.

After everyone greeted each other, they sat at the table and, just like the old times, ate pizza. Everyone gave a quick update about their current situation. Starfire was ruling Tamaran faithfully; Changeling was kicking butts with the Ravagers and constantly travelling back to Jump City to meet with Terra; Cyborg was dating Karen, formerly Bumble Bee, and working on new technologies. Nightwing gave them a brief summary of his new identity and his new city. It was now Raven's turn.

"Nothing interesting, I have been studying all year long, hopefully I have a few weeks of summer vacations" She stated as she was scooping some ice cream for Starfire.

"Boring! You didn't do anything but Med School Raven?"

"Yes Beast _Boy_, I've slept. Studied and slept" she said, knowing that calling him Beast Boy annoyed him.

"Really? I think you're seeing someone and you aren't telling us about him" he stated, leaning back on his chair and wiggling his eyebrows again, Raven snorted in response.

"Really Garfield? Why would you say that?"

"Um, well, you've got a _ring_ on your _ring finger_! Duh? I'm not so stupid" her eyes widened and she unconsciously looked at her hand.

"What? And you weren't going to tell your big brother about this?" Cyborg inquired.

"Oh it's glorious Raven! You are in the engagement process, are you not?" Starfire chimed forgetting about the ice cream. Raven blushed deeply; she could feel her face burning. She cursed herself for not being able to hide her emotions.

"Who is he? Now you can't deny it, just tell me, I won't harm him... much" Cyborg insisted.

"It's Speedy! Isn't he? You two were so sneaky that time we had that Halloween party at Tower East, I even saw you coming out of his room and—" Changeling's confession was cut off by a flying stool encased in black energy that would have landed on his head if he had not morphed into a rat just in time to dodge it. Raven felt Richard's gaze on her. His eyes were burning with jealousy and he suddenly stood up, grabbing the edges of the table angrily. The dark haired girl froze as she feared for the worst.

"I'm not seeing anyone!" she growled

"I am" the masked hero mumbled. Everyone suddenly hushed. The green hero morphed back to his human self.

"What?" Changeling blurted o_ut._

"_I am her_ _boyfriend_."

* * *

_**there it is, I'm posting quite late (it's 12.30 here) and I haven't double checked this, but I wanted to update ASAP.**_

_**Hope you liked it**_

_**please leave a review: leave some feedback, tell me if you liked it, if you hated it, or just say hi :)**_


	4. Chapter 4: BTSK

**Here's chapter 4! sorry I didn't post sooner, but I had this big final on Tuesday. Anyway here it is! it's a bit T+, not a lemon though.**

**Enjoy! thanks everyone for the reviews and faves :D**

**Again, I do not own the Teen titans**

* * *

Everyone remained silent; their mouths fell open. They kept looking from Nightwing to Raven, and from Raven back to Nightwing. Raven found herself gaping at him and closed her mouth quickly as she took in what had just happened.

"Is this a joke?" Changeling managed to ask.

"Yes this _is_ a joke! You should have seen your faces!" Raven lied, trying to sound teasing.

"Rae, you're a _terrible_ liar" the masked hero said, sighing and getting a hold of her hand "They should know"

"What? Really? You two have been... eww, gross" the green friend exclaimed as he threw his arms up.

"I can't believe no one told me about this... what about your big brother? Huh?" Cyborg finally spoke.

Starfire remained silent, her eyes glued on the floor. Raven sensed her friend's sadness and confusion just as the alien excused herself out of the flat.

"Star, where are you going?" she asked as she followed the red head down the hall and got to her just before she stepped into the elevator.

"I do not wish to stay any longer friend Raven; I do not feel 'the ok'"

"Star, I wanted to tell you about Nightwing and me but... I didn't want to hurt you. You're my best friend"

"I am hurt friend, but I am also confused because I feel, at peace. I want you to be happy and I want Robin to be happy. And if you two are happy with each other, then I should be happy... I will be happy"

"It's okay Star if you're mad at me. I understand if you are angry"

"Oh friend Raven! I could never be mad at you, you are my best friend too! What I feel is, how do you call when something is sweet and sour... Bittersweet! I feel bittersweet. I feel content for you but at the same time miserable, because I do not have anyone special"

Without thinking Raven hugged her friend tightly and felt relieved when Star hugged her back

"You are a wonderful person Star, there's someone for you out there, I know you'll find him, you just have to be patient".

* * *

"I thought we had agreed to keep our relationship private Richard. I specifically asked you _not to_ tell them" Raven argued as she placed the dirty dishes on the sink. The other ex-Titans had already left, leaving the birds alone to clean up the mess.

"I'm sorry. They were getting on my nerves. Plus, they are our closest friends, they deserved to know" he said as he was finishing with the table.

"Yes, but you told them just because you couldn't handle your jealousy"

"Yes, I couldn't. Sorry for being _human_ Raven" he said striding out of the kitchen; he stopped in his tracks as he heard her murmur to herself something he was not able to understand. He went back to where she was and forced her to turn away from the sink and face him. "What were you doing at Speedy's room?"

"Curious aren't we Boy _Blunder_?" she teased him, but as she saw his serious expression she added "Nothing you need to worry about, we were _just_ talking"

"Just talking. Don't lie; I know you're hiding something from me"

"We were talking about something important"

"I don't buy it, in his room? Really? Talking?"

"Don't you know me at all? Do I look like a one-night-stand type of girl? We were in his room because we needed privacy. I needed help with something... someone, actually. I was afraid and Speedy was the person with some answers" she said slipping away from his grasp.

"Afraid? Is this for real? You needed advice from Speedy?" he eyed her as she sat on top of the counter.

"Yes because he _knew_ you. I was afraid of _you_. I was in _love_ with you, and I didn't know what to do with it. I was too afraid to tell you, and as the team was crumbling apart, I decided it was best not to tell you. Speedy, on the other hand, advised that I should tell you, right there, that night. Happy?"

Raven rested her head on her hands, too embarrassed about the whole situation. Nightwing approached her silently and removed her hands from her face softly; he held one of her hands in his and laced his fingers through hers. With his other hand he cupped her face, rubbing his thumb gently against her cheek. She finally looked at him and he kissed her quietly, his lips barely grazing hers.

"I'm sorry Rae" he apologized resting his head on the crook of her neck, as she slightly towered over him because she was still sitting on top of the counter.

He felt her hands on his shoulders as she slowly pushed him away, he looked up at her and this time, she kissed him. Softly, sweetly. But something in her changed; she deepened the kiss anxiously as she wrapped her legs around his torso. One of his hands went to the back of her neck, the other one wrapped around her waist as he lifted her up from the counter and carried her to her room. Still tangled with one another, lost in the kiss, Richard bumped accidentally into the doorframe.

"Nice one, Dick" raven whispered against his lips.

"Shut up" he retorted as he kept on kissing her.

He laid her down on her bed, carefully, so as not to crush her with his weight. They broke apart, gasping for air, breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked caringly. They had been dating for six months, but nothing went far from passionate kisses. He wanted to be sure Raven was okay with it, that she too wanted it. He wanted her to feel safe, and loved.

"Are _you_ sure Boy Blunder?" she asked back.

"Raven I'm serious. Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, besides the neighbours won't notice the power is gone until the morning" she teased playing with his hair. His eyes were filled with concern. She finally added, staring directly into his blue eyes "I love you Richard Grayson"

That was it. That was all he needed to hear. He crashed his lips down on hers. He tangled his hands with her hair and she began to search for his suit's zipper. When she finally found it, she slid it down roughly and his perfect chiselled body was revealed. He softly pulled the hem of her dress up, and tossed the blue dress away, almost in synch with her. He quietly trailed kisses along her body; her legs, her belly, her arms, her neck, and finally, her lips again. She slipped from underneath him and managed to swap their positions. Before Richard knew it, she was on top of him, straddling his waist. He was marvelled by her beauty, her violet eyes shone in the darkness, her pale skin seemed to glow under the faint moonlight that bathed the room. She leaned down on him and began to trail kisses down his neck. Her lips were working their way up to his jaw when abruptly, they were interrupted.

No, it wasn't a monster, it wasn't the end of the world.

It was Nightwing's communicator buzzing angrily.

They continued kissing, but the communicator kept on ringing. Finally Raven gave up and fell on her back, freeing him from her intoxicating presence.

"Pick it up" she growled. "Pick the damn thing up"

She felt the weight of her bed shift as he stood and answered the communicator; she hid her face beneath the pillows, frustrated. Nightwing removed the pillows and pressed his lips on hers innocently.

"I'll be back soon" and with that, he was gone into the night.

**DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUN. so what did you think about it? was it bad? good? a bit off the limits? would you mind if the rating went up on the next chapters?**

**please leave a review. if you do I'll update faster ;)**

**critics accepted!**


	5. Chapter 5: Painting Flowers

_**A/N**_

_**Hey guys, here's chapter 5 :D**_

_**Sorry, I've been suffering writer's block. thanks to Xaphrin and Nano1012 for their help.**_

_**thank you all for all the beautiful reviews, faves and follows.**_

_**Disclaimer: No, I still don't own the Teen Titans.**_

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Raven woke up startled. It wasn't because she was unaccompanied, or because of the sudden thunder that ruined the tranquillity of the crack of dawn. Something was up. Something was wrong. Her chest tightened as an image of Nightwing flashed before her eyes. Quickly she sprung out of the bed and looked around the room; then she ran towards the living room, checking the area, sometimes when he was back late from a mission he crashed on her couch. Empty. She looked at the clock, 6:16 am.

_Calm down Raven. Breathe. Focus. Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..._

She chanted, trying to reach him through their bond. Nothing.

The empath darted back towards her room and quickly changed into a pair of white shorts and a blue shirt and decided to teleport to Richard's apartment. She was suddenly engulfed in darkness and subsequently she was standing on her boyfriend's flat. The lights were out and there was no sign of movement.

"Richard?" She called out as she inspected each room. Again: Nothing.

She growled as her chest tightened painfully again. "Where are you Richard?" She whispered to herself.

That was when she felt it: A small tap on their bond. It was weak but still enough for her to trace it. Raven sat on her lotus position and began her chant. Her soul self traveled into the night, looking for him, just as she had done all those years ago. She saw through his eyes. She saw an abandoned warehouse; she felt the smell of salty water and rust, the faint roar of waves. She opened her eyes and gasped for air as her soul self returned to her. She dried off the beads of sweat that were rolling down her forehead as she tried to steady her breathing. She closed her eyes and pictured the warehouse, the salt, the rust.

Within seconds she was standing at the entrance of an abandoned warehouse next to the neglected docks of Blüdhaven, rain pouring down on her. Inside the old building the illumination was dim. Raven scanned the storehouse, her eyes wide open, trying to catch any glimpse of activity. As she walked silently inside, (her powers were too weak for her to levitate) she heard a soft groan, almost inaudible. For a second she froze, before her a dark shape moved slightly. She felt his warm presence invading her, and once again, the pain on her chest began. She sprinted frantically as she realized the figure on the floor was his limp body.

"Nightwing!" She screamed feverishly as she saw blood pooling around him. "Oh Azar!"

She kneeled beside him and slowly rested his head on her lap. His uniform was ripped on the left side of his chest, where a deep cut followed. She put both of her hands on top of the wound and began to chant, waiting for her healing powers to kick in. 1… 2… 3… Nothing happened. Her energy had been consumed in her desperate attempt to find him with her soul self.

"Oh Azar, goddess, help me, please help me." She prayed as she closed her eyes.

She pressed her hands to the gash to apply pressure on it, in order to stop the blood from flowing. She closed her eyes and focused eagerly on the wound. A few streaks of bluish and white light erupted from the palms of her trembling hands. She let out a sigh of relief as the injury gradually began to heal, slower than usual, but at least the bleeding had slowed down. Her focus was broken as she felt him stir beneath her touch.

"Shh… Stay still, please." She whispered into his ear.

"Hey beautiful." Was all he managed to say, his voice feeble.

She shushed him and kissed his forehead quietly. She kept on healing him until her powers faded at last. Drained, she managed to drag him towards an old broken sofa that was a few meters away. Raven helped him stand up from the floor and sit on the couch, laying him down so that he could rest.

"What the hell happened?" she asked in a whisper, scared that her voice would break.

"I wish I knew Rae. I was attacked from behind, on the docks, masked guy. I was expecting a drug shipment, that's what the report said anyway." He replied, avoiding her eyes.

"No other clue? Nothing?" she inquired, sitting beside him.

"I'm not sure, I thought I saw some kind of mark on his uniform, but he knocked me out with an explosive device… I suppose he dragged me in here so no one would find me."

"Wait for me here, don't move."

And with that she headed out, back to the docks, searching for any traces that could provide some information. She walked around for a while, under the drizzle, when suddenly, a glistening piece of metal caught her eye. She picked it up carefully; it was probably a scrap of the explosive gadget. She looked at it and she instantly let it fall out of her grasp. A shiver run down her spine as she realized what the "S" engraved on the metal meant.

"No… not Slade"

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A few hours later they were back at her apartment. They had to wait for a couple of hours until Raven had regained enough strength to teleport them back to safety. The empath hadn't found the courage to tell Richard about Slade's symbol in the explosive device. She was willing to tell him, although she wanted to wait until he had fully recovered. The cut was deep, and although her powers had helped, it wasn't enough.

Currently she was cooking something for them to eat, as it was already 5 in the afternoon an neither had ate since last night. Richard was resting in her room, he couldn't move much because the wound could easily reopen. Raven entered the room with a tray with two bowls of noodles. She sat next to him on the bed and as soon as she did, she remembered she had forgotten to bring in some water, so she left to fetch some. Richard eyed the bowls that were out of his reach, he was starving. He tried to reach them without moving, but failed. He leaned a bit on his side and was about to reach his bowl when a sudden jolt of pain stopped him. Raven returned just in time to see the wound reopen, blood oozing out if it once more.

"Seriously Richard? I'll have to bandage it now, and I have no bandages left."

"Sorry, I was starving Rae," he apologized, "Why don't you ask your neighbour, maybe he has some bandages?"

"Fine. But don't move this time. Here, hold this cloth to the wound," she said exasperated, "and here's your food. Now, don't burn the house down while I'm out, ok?"

* * *

_Knock knock knock_

John opened the door, Raven was baffled, his hair was tousled and his face was bruised, his glasses were nowhere to be seen. She had never seen him like this.

"Hey Rach, what's up?" he addressed her, trying to smile.

"John, what happened to you?" she requested.

"Oh nothing serious, bar fight," he brushed it off.

"Seriously, a bar fight John?" she snorted, "You? In a bar fight? In a bar?"

"Yeah, I've been hanging out in bars lately, now that you're too busy with your mysterious boyfriend."

"Speaking of which… do you happen to have any bandages?" She asked, remembering her boyfriend's state, "Richard cut his finger with a knife and his kind of… bleeding?"

"Um… yes. Just wait for me here, I'll fetch them."

He left and shut the door on her face. Raven stared perplexed at the door. He usually invited her to his apartment. He usually avoided bars; he usually wasn't beaten up. Scratch that, she had never seen him beaten up, not even a scratch. John wasn't mysterious, he was one of the most open and honest people she knew. What the hell was wrong with him?

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_**DUN DUN DUNNNN. That's it guys! loved it? hated it? want more? LEAVE A REVIEW! it really helps, plus, I'll update sooner if you do ;)**_


	6. Chapter 6: Speak up

**A/N: YAY UPDATE! Sorry for the long wait, but Med School is killing me once more. This is sort of a filler chapter, I'm not happy with it, but I need it in order to progress with the story. Thank you for all the pretty reviews! I'll be needing 10 reviews more to update the next chapter.. so review! :D**

**On with the story ;)**

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Raven was finally back at her flat. She stepped into her room only to find Richard soundly asleep on her bed, an empty bowl of noodles by his side. Quietly, she tiptoed towards him and removed the blood stained cloth from the injury, placing her hands on top of it as she began to heal it once more. She looked at the wound absorbedly, as the skin finally was closing, little by little, but steadily, as the light blue glow emanated from her hands.

"You should eat something, you know?"

Her eyes shot up to meet his, surprised for an instant. She relaxed seconds later, remembering he was a light sleeper, and returned to work on the wound.

"As soon as I am done with this," she answered in her usual monotone. After the skin had finally closed, she cleaned the dried blood that was left behind. She grabbed the bandages John had lent her and she began to wrap them around Richard's torso; her cold hands working methodically. "There. It's done. Now try not to move, ok?"

"Yes doctor Roth, whatever you say," he said in a deep voice, "now sit down here and eat."

She climbed on the bed and sat beside him, crossing her legs and taking hold of the bowl of noodles. She didn't realize she was so hungry until now. Richard watched her, amused, as she ravished her food. She felt his gaze on her.

"What?" she spat.

"N-nothing," he managed to articulate, holding back a chuckle. He reached for her shoulder and pushed her close to him. She laid beside him, her expression troubled.

"Something's up with John. He was acting really unusual," she said, facing him.

"Unusual, how?"

"His face was covered in bruises and he told me it was because he was at a bar fight. John, at a _bar_ fight?" she said gesturing wildly, "And he didn't invite me in; I had to wait for him outside while he looked for the bandages."

"Hmm, maybe he is not interested in you anymore?" he suggested, tapping her nose with his index finger.

"Richard, I'm serious, this isn't about me. I sensed something _wrong_. He lied to _me._" She propped herself up, using her elbow to support herself.

"Don't worry; I'll keep an eye on him if you want me to..."

"Pff, in your current state? I think _I_'ll handle him," she announced, laying back against the pillows once more.

"Whatever you want."

"Dick, I need to tell you something." An awkward silence filled the room.

"Don't tell me you _and John_..." he trailed off, covering his face with his hands.

"Hey, I'm trying to be serious here," she spat, removing his hands from his face and sitting up. "Remember when we were at the warehouse and I went outside to look for any evidence on your attacker?" She removed the piece of metal from her pocket. "I found this."

She handed him the remnants of the explosive device. They both remained silent. Raven stared down numbly at her hands, unable to meet his eyes. Fear overruled her mind; she knew how he could get when Slade was involved; how his obsession had clouded his sanity all those years ago.

The empath was taken by surprise when he suddenly took her hands in his. She couldn't stand to face him though.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I-I was afraid. I wanted you to heal properly. I didn't want you to bleed yourself out trying to find him," she choked on her last words.

"It's okay Rae. We'll find him, or whoever it was." He squeezed her hands gently, trying to reassure her.

She finally looked up and met his gaze. "Promise?" she managed to ask.

"Yes don't worry, we'll find him."

"No. Not that. Promise me that you won't go over the edge again; that you won't lose yourself to Slade." Tears burned the back of her eyes, but she managed to keep them in.

He leaned forward and winced in pain, but still he planted a kiss on her cheek. He laid back down and extended his pinky finger at her, just like all those months ago. "Promise?"

She smiled. "Promise."

They fell asleep soon after, their heartbeats a lullaby for each other.

* * *

Richard woke up to the sound of his communicator. It was almost 2 a.m. He tried to sit up but Raven was already holding him back; she stood up, grabbed the communicator that was laying on top of her dresser and handed it to him. She laid down beside him, and as he spoke, she traced the lines on his face with her delicate fingers.

"There's a robbery, on 24th street, high class thieves."

"Ok, I'll handle it," she stated, sitting up.

"Raven..."

"What? You can't fight, not until tomorrow, at least." She answered over her shoulder.

"I can always call on Flash; he's near town for the week."

"I. Can. Handle," she stated as she headed towards her closet, looking for something buried deep beneath her other clothes. She grabbed an outfit that was inside a plastic bag, from the dry cleaner. She began to remove her clothes hastily and turned to him. "Don't peak boy blunder".

He did as he was told and closed his eyes. She shimmied into her new clothes and sighed. He opened his eyes. His pupils widened at the sight. Raven was dressed on a black spandex suit that went full length, covering most of her body, unlike her previous uniform, which didn't cover her legs. The belt she wore was basically the same as the one she had before, but the metal was no longer gold, but black, making the red jewels stand out. The cape was also different; it was a deep midnight blue, almost black. Richard's mouth went dry as he focused on how the suit hugged every curve of her body.

"You like it?" she asked innocently, crawling back to the bed, next to him. He was completely shocked, and the only thing he managed to do was to nod. "I'll be back soon. Try to rest while I'm gone."

"Rae, be careful, okay?" he said as he nuzzled his face on the crook of her neck and kissed the little of soft skin that was exposed. His eyes focused on her eyes for a moment, before pressing a tender kiss on her lips.

"Don't do anything reckless while I'm gone, like setting the cat on fire... or the curtains, okay?" she teased, smiling back at him as she opened the window and flew into the darkness of the night.

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**A/N: So? What did you think? Liked it? Loved it? Was it boring? Hated it? Please leave a review! Critiques are accepted too! See you soon :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Flaws

**A/N: hey guys! Sorry it took a while, I'm quite busy right now. Anyway I just wrote this, I didn't double check it, so tell me if you spot some mistakes. I was quite stuck with this chapter, and i am not happy with it. But still, another filler one, sorry guys! Please leave a review :) they really encourage me to keep on writing! Thanks to Xaphrin and Ophelia'song for reviewing, they are two writers I personally really like :) Emmi30307 I couldn't set the cat on fire... but the cat is back! Thanks again to everyone who reviewed last chapter: PonySerasVictoria, Daniratoe, E, Nano1012, Psychic Soul, and obviously Emmi30307, Xaphrin and Ophelia**

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Nightwing sat on an osier chair on Raven's balcony. It was late, and she still wasn't back. He looked for the fifth time during the last minutes at his communicator; waiting for any sign of her, staring blankly at the device's black screen. He was already fully dressed in his costume, even his mask was on, just in case she called. It was almost 4 a.m. and she had left almost two hours ago. He sighed. He decided he would wait half an hour more, and if she wasn't back by then, he was going after her, even though she would kill him for disobeying her. He lifted a cup of coffee that was resting on a modest glass table next to him. He sipped the black liquid quietly, staring at the city ahead of him, the cool summer breeze ruffling his hair. His gaze drifted towards the balcony that was next to Raven's: John's. It was full of plants; each carefully arranged in a separate flower pot, the sliding door was slightly opened although the lights were out.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Cleo, the empath's cat, meowing irksomely as she paced along the balcony. His mouth fell open as he saw the graceful black creature jump towards the railing of the balcony. He stood trying to grab the cat but it only scared her and so the cat jumped gracefully again towards John's balcony. Once she had landed on the neighbour's property she stared back at him, defiantly.

"Argh, Raven's going to kill me," he mumbled as he eyed the cat menacingly.

He tried everything he could to convey the cat's attention, but she just sat there and licked herself. He face-palmed himself, exasperated. He approached the railing and saw that the distance that separated each balcony was about 40 inches. He exhaled as he carefully climbed the railing, trying not to reopen his wound, or this time Raven would surely send him into another dimension. Once on the neighbour's terrace he crouched in order to catch the cat but she immediately ran away from him and trespassed into John's apartment.

"Fuck!" he whispered harshly.

He peered inside and saw everything was pretty calm. Surely John would be sleeping; it was 4 a.m. after all. He squinted in the darkness looking for the black cat, _oh the irony_. He turned on a discrete flashlight that was built in the communicator. He scanned the area and was taken aback by the condition of the place.

The room (the living room, he assumed) was covered in a mess of papers, cut outs, garbage, weaponry and other high-tech devices. He walked in even further, suddenly forgetting why he was there in the first place. He froze. Opposite to him there was a huge wall covered in papers: newspaper clippings, weird maps and numbers; but the thing that made his heart stop for a second was _her_ photo, pinned in the middle of the mess of cellulose. Raven's motionless lavender eyes stared back at him, her hair violet as it used to be, her chakra on, and next to it, another photo of her, of her new "identity". He then focussed on the rest of the pictures; he recognized the mark of Scath, Trigon's symbol; a photo of the Titan's Tower; a snapshot of himself in his former identity, as Robin. All of them were connected with red thread, the light of the flashlight followed the red threads, all of them directed towards another picture, a picture of Slade.

He jumped as he felt the communicator vibrating on his hand.

"Shit" he whispered as he quickly grabbed the cat and headed back to Raven's flat, avoiding the mess and the flowerpots.

Once back inside the flat, he picked up anxiously and was greeted by Raven's voice.

"Hel-".

"Rae, are you ok?"

"Yes Boy _Blunder_, I'm heading back home. Piece of cake."

"Great." He sighed, relieved.

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Raven arrived and looked for Richard. She found him in her room, throwing her clothes into a suitcase hastily, almost... desperately?

"What on Earth?" she asked leaning on the doorframe, raising one eyebrow quizzically.

"You're moving with me until new notice," he said, not looking back at her.

"Thanks for asking... you shouldn't be standing right now, you know?" she deadpanned approaching him.

"Raven..." He grabbed her wrist roughly, looking into her eyes. "I am serious. We need to go. Now."

"What's wrong?" Her eyes now filled with concern.

"You were right about John. I-I..."

"You what?" She inquired, sitting on the bed and forcing him to sit next to her.

"I accidentally broke into his apartment. And... and he has all this... weaponry and a huge amount of clippings, and articles, and photos of _you_, the former you, of the mark of Scath, of Robin, and _Slade_."

"Holy Azar," she whispered, lost for words.

He grabbed her shoulders and slid his hands down to her hands.

"I can't let you be near him. We have to investigate; he could be really dangerous Rae. I won't risk you."

"Richard, if I leave out of the blue he'll be suspicious. I think I should stay here." He was going to interrupt her but she continued anyway. "You can stay here if you want to. Plus, that way, we could keep an eye on him and extend the investigation."

"Fine. But you're not getting near him on your own, okay?"

"I am a half demon girl with supernatural powers. I can handle him." She said teasingly, laying down on her back; she was exhausted. "Don't overwork yourself. At least now be have a trace on who your attacker might be."

She removed her cloak and used it as a blanket, too tired to change into her pyjamas. He dropped next to her and he watched as her eyes fluttered close. He kissed the top of her head, and then her lips, just a peck. He smiled as he saw her smile back faintly as she drifted off to sleep.

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**A/N : So? What did you think?**


	8. Chapter 8: Loud Noises

**_A/N: So here it is! Chapter 8 :D Hope you like it. This is a funny chapter, or at least I tried to take it along that path. Thanks for all the lovely reviews guys! I will need at least 10 more for the next chapter, so go ahead, read and review!_**

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Raven eyes fluttered open as she felt someone staring at her. She knew exactly who it was, but still his intense gaze took her a bit by surprise. He was laying beside her, his body towering slightly over her as he was propped up on his elbow.

"Hey," she sleepily saluted.

"Hey," he answered as he brushed a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

She closed her eyes again and snuggled under the blankets. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head; then he kissed her cheeks, her neck, her arms, the tips of her fingers, the silver ring, her palms. He laid down and brought the sheets on top of their heads, the rays of light threading feebly through the thin threads of fabric, like a children's blanket fort. They allowed themselves to forget about their problems, about their current investigation, about everything; besides themselves (at least for a while). Richard hugged her tightly and she didn't resist this time; her eyelashes tickling his chest. The only sounds filling the room were their own heartbeats.

Richard shifted and was now on top of her, his arms at each side of her head. He leaned down and kissed her on her jaw, trailing down more kisses down her neck, leaving small red spots on her pale skin. He then proceeded to find her lips, but when he was about to taste her lips, she moved her face away and giggled softly, teasing him. She looked back at him, and this time their lips met in a soft but indulgent kiss. She muffled a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You really need a shower Boy Blunder."

"You didn't seem to mind last night." He grumbled, sitting up and tearing down the blanket fort.

"You know we stayed up until 3 figuring out what all of those maps and instructions meant. We've been investigating John for a week now. I was a bit too tired to pay attention to your smelly feet."

"Fine, I'm leaving then." He swung his legs over the edge of the bed but before he could stand up Raven grabbed his arm softly, beckoning him to return. He turned around only to find her smiling sheepishly at him. "What?"

She kneeled beside him and kissed him on the cheek. "Mr. Grumpy Stinky Feet," she whispered into his ear and as soon as she did she fell back on her back onto the mattress, tittering like a little girl.

"Fine, fine. I'm showering! Mrs. ...Smarty Panties..." he said as he entered the bathroom, glancing back over his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile back at her.

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Five minutes after Richard had turned on the shower, she heard the doorbell buzzing angrily. She threw on a large sweater (she was still on her pyjamas) and walked towards the door. She stood on the balls of her feet to look through the peephole. Her eyes widen as she recognized a certain man standing on the hallway.

"I know you're in there, so just let me in", he said as he pressed his ear to the door. Raven hesitated but finally opened the door. "Wow, seems like someone just woke up."

"Your timing is always impeccable Roy. Sunday morning, really?" she deadpanned as the read-headed male entered the apartment and hugged her lightly.

"Morning? It's almost two in the afternoon Rae. What's wrong with you?" he stated grabbing her by her shoulders.

"Who gave you my address anyway?"

"Garfield, clearly. Today is my last day here in Blüdhaven and I decided to pay you a visit... and you don't even say hello to me?" He paced around the room, inspecting everything.

"Uh, Hello?" She said, heading towards the kitchen. "I'm sorry Roy, it's been a tough week for me and I wasn't expecting... company. Do you want something to drink?"

"Water, please. Tough week? Gar told me you _just_ started your summer holidays, unless you've been busy with o_ther_ stuff, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows at the last part and she rolled her eyes in response. "Wait a minute... is that a shower I hear? Did you leave the water running? No, of course not. You've got someone inside your bathroom!"

"What are you talking about _Speedy_? Really, me? With someone hidden in my bathroom? Actually, I was about to have a shower, just before you inconveniently popped up."

"Bullshit Rae-Rae." His golden mask less eyes boring into hers, reading her lies.

"Don't call me that." She handed him a glass of water.

"Then _don't_ call me Speedy. It's _Arsenal_ now... Wait a minute, is that a hickey on your neck!?"

"Rae? Is everything okay?" Richard's muffled voice came from the bathroom.

Raven's face dropped, colour flooded her cheeks and her hand flew to her forehead in frustration.

"I knew it!" the red headed male whispered mischievously.

"Yes, everything's fine!" her voice quivered slightly, her face turned to address the archer. "Shut up Roy, please?"

"Well you're the one hiding guys in your bathroom... Who's that? Does bird brain know you're _seeing_ someone? " He gulped down half of the glass.

"Yes, he knows."

"And he didn't kill him?" his eyes widened and he arched his eyebrows, surprised.

Before she could answer any more of his questions Richard showed up, Roy wasn't facing him, so he didn't realize the former leader was standing there until the ginger saw the empath's eyes widening in shock.

"What on earth-" Roy spun around to see for himself at what Raven was gawking at and he suddenly fell silent, the glass on his hand slipped and it shattered on the floor. He looked from Richard to Raven, flabbergasted by the sudden realization of who was her secret partner. "Wh-WH-..."

Raven looked at her boyfriend, he was standing there in nothing but a towel, and Roy was, well, still unable to voice any of the millions of questions that raced through his mind.

"I'll get the broom," she stated dryly.

"Roy I—"

"I can't believe you didn't tell me! I was your Cupid and you lied to me— both of you!"

"Sorry Roy, we were trying to keep it low profile, the rest of the team only find out about a week ago..." Richard said trying to bring some sense into the whole situation.

"Hence _find out;_ we weren't planning on telling them either, so don't take it personal," she interjected as she swept the pieces of broken glass.

"It _is_ personal Raven. Dick I talked to you a few days ago and you didn't even told me you were seeing someone... after I convinced you to go after her... I can't believe it man"

"So _he_ convinced you to come all those months ago, huh?" The empath asked as she threw the pieces of glass to the trash can.

"Months? How long have you two been together?"

"Half a year," the dark haired male admitted.

"Half a _year_? Wow" Roy sighed and sat on the couch. "Well, all I can say now is _finally_! You two are so thick headed I actually thought you would never acknowledge each other."

"Thanks for the compliment _Speedy_" Raven deadpanned.

"You're welcome Rae-Rae," he teased her back.

"I should probably get changed," Richard suggested "don't hit him Rae." He headed towards her room and left the other two alone.

"So you two are pretty serious, huh? Are you happy?" the ginger inquired frankly.

"Yes, I am." She admitted, a smile escaped her lips automatically.

"He's living here?"

"Just for a few days, until we figure what my neighbour's been up t—"

She was suddenly interrupted by a massive explosion; the shockwave was so powerful that the crystals of the entire flat shattered into pieces. The front door busted open and a heavy cloud of smoke filled the apartment.

_**A/N: dun dun dun! I just wanted to bring back Speedy/Roy/Arsenal back to the story, I just like him so much. So what do you think? Good? Bad? Funny? Want more? need more? just REVIEW :D**_


	9. Chapter 9: Above the water

_**A/N: Sorry guys, this took a while. I was kind of stuck. I'm not happy with it, so please review and critique. Grammar addicts, feel free to point out mistakes. This story is coming to an end... DUN DUN DUN! So review!**_

_**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own the Teen Titans.**_

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_She was suddenly interrupted by a massive explosion; the shockwave was so powerful that the crystals of the entire flat shattered into pieces. The front door busted open and a heavy cloud of smoke filled the apartment._

Raven coughed noisily, her eyes remained shut for a while, waiting for the smoke to dissipate.

"Roy! Are you okay?" she barely managed to say.

"What the hell was _that?_"

"I don't know..." she fluttered her eyes open and squinted through the dust towards the source of the explosion. "John..."

She dashed out of the flat, heading towards her neighbour's apartment.

"Wait! Raven! Where are you going?" the red head shouted as he sprinted after her.

Richard appeared suddenly, his eyes widened as he stared at the mess of the aftershock. He caught the other two running out of the apartment and he followed them. He bumped into Raven, who had abruptly stopped on the middle of the hallway. They stood by the door frame looking at the massive destruction that had taken over John's residence. Raven was about to enter when someone restrained her movements. Richard had gripped her by her arm, just before she did anything reckless.

"Dick, let me go. John might be inside— he could be in danger." She tried to free her arm but he held her in place.

"Rae, listen to me. This could be a trap! We know _he_ is dangerous."

"Dangerous or not, he might be there. In fact, I'm mostly sure that he's inside. We can't let him die!"

"No. But I won't let you risk your life either." He grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"You risk your life every night Richard," she snapped, "I can go and look for him. If there's something threatening I can teleport myself out. Let me go... please?"

He remained silent but finally spoke, "Fine." His hands descended from her shoulder to her hands. "But if you're not back here in five I'm going in, and if I find him, it won't be nice, I can assure you."

Raven looked up to him and then glanced back at Roy. She was about to enter the crumbling apartment when Richard tugged at her hand and brought her against him, kissing her quickly.

"I'll be fine." And with that she left. Her figure disappearing into the smoke.

Raven levitated herself through the chaos. She passed the leaving room and something caught her attention. She saw the remains of the wall Richard had told her about, the one with her pictures and the clippings. She had never dared to see it. John was her friend, or at least she thought, and he had betrayed her. She gasped as she saw her pictures, and a picture of Richard as Robin. She unpinned the last photo and stuffed it into one of her pockets. She then continued her search.

"John!" She called out but the only answer she got was the sound of the crumbling concrete. She dodged a piece of material that had detached from the ceiling, just in time. She closed her eyes and focused on searching for another presence. Her eyes shot open as her powers caught on something, someone, actually. "John!" She ventured inside his bedroom and was taken aback by the flames that were consuming it. She shivered as she was reminded of her vision all those years ago, the day she had turned sixteen. She narrowed her eyes as she saw a little movement behind the flames. "John?"

* * *

"She's taking too long Roy. I'm going in." Richard said as he put on his mask and stepped forward. When he was by the threshold he was thrown back by a new explosion. He collided with Roy who was right behind him.

"Raven!" he screamed as the entrance collapsed. He kneeled and desperately began to dig through the rubble, he needed to get inside.

"Dick!" Roy shouted at him, but he didn't care, he clawed and dug desperately, tears welling up. "Richard, stop!"

"Richard!" He froze. He turned around to the sound of her voice. He saw her lying on the hallway.

"Oh God! Raven you're alright!" He ran towards her and kneeled beside her, hugging her forcefully and closely to him. "You're safe," he whispered more to himself than to her.

* * *

Raven told the two men about how she had managed to teleport just before the explosion reached her. She had gathered enough energy to teleport herself and John out of the flat. The fire-fighters had arrived and had put the fire out just before it expanded to the rest of the building.

Currently they were back at her apartment. John was still unconscious, but he was fine, and Raven was healing him as Roy was fixing them some coffee and tea.

"Are you okay, Rae?" Richard said to her as he sat beside her. He had already changed into his uniform; it was about time for his nightly patrol.

"Yes, I am. Don't worry, if you need to leave, go. I can handle him."

"Yes Nightwing, if you got to go, go," Roy interjected. "I can stay here for a little longer if that makes you happy."

The archer sat down on a chair next to them and handed them a cup each, coffee for the dark haired man and tea for Raven. Just as they began to sip the hot infusions they felt John stir as he opened his eyes.

"Raven? – I mean Rachel?"

"John, are you okay?" she asked softly, approaching him as he sat up.

"Yes, I guess so," he seemed confused, his glasses were broken.

"Great!" she said as she frowned at him and slapped him harshly across the face.

"Ouch!" he screamed as he cradled his face.

"That's for lying to me!" she slapped him again. "And for Nightwing!"

Roy couldn't contain his laughter any longer; he had to bite his fist to remain silent.

"I'm sorry Raven... it's complicated." He tried to apologize

"Why John? I trusted you..."

"Because I needed to contact Slade somehow."

"Why Slade? Do you work for him?" Nightwing inquired.

"No... I thought that if he noticed that someone was imitating him, he might come back, and the we could talk..." the brown headed male fiddled with his hands.

"Talk? With Slade, really?" The ex-leader asked.

"Yes, because he—Slade's my father. My biological father technically, he never cared for me or for my mother. He abandoned us... and now my mother's sick and I wanted to find him. I needed some answers."

"Holy Azar" Raven whispered.

"Slade's gone. He vanished. I don't even think he is even alive." Nightwing said angrily.

"I know. I'm sorry, I realized it too late." He grabbed the empath's hand. "I'm sorry Raven."

"Leave John. Leave! Get your things—if there's anything left... and leave! Leave Blüdhaven if you know what's good for you." Raven growled; the objects around them became encased in black energy.

"You should go." The dark vigilante added, and with that, John left.

* * *

_**SO? What did you think? Liked it? Hated it? Want more? Need more? Review please! It really helps! And if you do... I'll update faster... mwahhaha!**_


	10. Chapter 10: Stay the night

**I'M SOOOO SORRY FOR THE DELAY BUT I HAD EXAMS AND I WAS LOCKED UP STUDYING 24/7. HERE IT IS, THE LAST CHAPTER! :( HOPE YOU LIKED THE STORY, THANKS FOR ALL THE FOLLOWERS AND FAITHFUL REVIEWERS WHO KEPT ME WRITING (specially : Xaphrin, Nano1012, Ophelia'song, Emmi30307, Noir Victorian, FlawlessAngel10, Daniratoe, HunterL4D, BadBad, EverMoreMySweet, Eby Mikaelson) .**

**ENJOY**

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT.**

* * *

Soon after John had left, Nightwing headed out to begin his nightly patrol. She had spent a couple of hours fixing the shattered windows, fixing them up with cardboard and tape momentarily, until she could buy new crystals. Raven plopped down on the couch and sighed heavily, she was drained.

"What a great way to spend my last night on Blüdhaven, huh?" Roy approached the couch and motioned Raven to scoot over so he could sit too.

"Sorry, that's what you get for arriving unannounced," she responded, tilting her head back to look at him, "Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"No, I think I'll head back in a while," he chuckled, "I don't want to bother you two any longer."

"Woah, Roy Harper thinking about others… that's touching. Are you hungry?" she sat up and headed towards the kitchen.

"Do you have to ask? I'm _always_ hungry." He laid down on the couch as he watched her rummaging through the cabinets.

"Don't expect something fancy, you know I don't enjoy cooking."

"It's not that you don't enjoy it, is that you _suck_ at it; admit for once Rae-Rae."

"Quit it, or all you're going to get is my cat's food."

"Okay, but I bet you know how to _bake cookies_, certainly Dick taught you well— " before he could continue he was interrupted by a frying pan encased in black energy that hit the top of his head.

"Shut up Roy!"

"OUCH! What was that for?" the archer whined as he rubbed his head and sat up.

"I warned you Roy, seal your mouth, or else, I will."

"What? Is not like you two don't roll in the hay at least once a week, right?" he knew he was stepping on thin ice and she would probably throw him out the window in a few seconds, but still, he was curious.

"No Roy. We don't. We haven't. Ever. So SHUT! UP!" Her eyes were glowing white and he walked towards the kitchen slowly, trying to calm her.

"Oh… Oh. Rae, I'm sorry. I didn't—" he tried to apologize but he was hit again with the frying pan.

Silence filled the room as Raven poured some water on a bowl to make the microwable macaroni and cheese she had luckily found. They ate without saying a word to each other. The ginger left his empty plate on the sink and grabbed his things.

"You're not going to say goodbye to me?" he asked, pouting and looking at her with sad puppy eyes.

She didn't answer. He approached her calmly, as one approaches a scared animal, and kissed the top of her head.

"Raven, don't worry, I was just teasing. You know I'm stupid like that, right?"

"Right, I forgot about your lack of intellect," she mumbled and punched his arm halfheartedly. They headed out to the corridor and she pushed the elevator button. "Will you be visiting us soon?"

"I don't think so. Are you going to say goodbye to me or should I hug you again?"

"Goodbye _Speedy._" she teased as he hugged her briefly and the stepped into the elevator.

"Tell Dick I'll call him when I get home anyway. See you Rae-Rae."

The doors of the elevator closed and she turned on her hills to head back to her apartment. She froze for a second as she saw John standing in front of what was left of his flat. He didn't see her though; he was busy packing some things into a grey duffel bag. He turned towards where she was standing, saw her, but looked away. He walked past her and headed towards the elevator.

"I'm leaving, don't worry," he said hesitantly.

"John, if you need help with your mother, I can—"

"Don't Rachel. I put you through too much already, and I am sorry. I'm really sorry."

And with that he was gone.

* * *

It was almost midnight and she was trying to finish the book she had been reading. Thoughts of what had transpired during the day kept drifting in and out of her mind, forbidding her from focusing on the inked words before her. She was tired and upset, and suddenly a feeling of insecurity crept slowly into her psyche. She threw the book on the coffee table, frustrated, and decided to meditate for a while.

She didn't know how much she had meditated but before she knew it she was abruptly pulled back to reality. Her eye shot open at the sudden physical contact.

"Nightwing" she mumbled against his lips. He pulled back a bit surprised.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep, I didn't realize you were…"

"Meditating? So, kissing me when I'm asleep is your thing now, huh?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Since when do you meditate lying down on the couch?" he asked as he searched the fridge.

"I was tired. Roy left and I wanted to be up when you returned. There's some ice cream left if you want some…"

Her eyes followed him, as he closed the fridge and paced around, she could feel his distress clouding the entire room, he was clearly troubled.

"Is something wrong?" she inquired getting up and walking towards him. She placed her thin hands on his face and turned his face to face hers. She could still feel his gaze avoiding her so she peeled his mask away, trying to read the secrets hidden behind his eyes.

"It's nothing Raven, it's nothing." He slipped away from her and he sat down on the couch.

"Richard, do you think I'm stupid? Clearly, you're hiding something from me, so don't tell me nothing's wrong." He looked up at her, she was standing in front of him now. Their eyes locked and she saw the hurt in his blue eyes, the glistening tears welling up. "Richard what's wrong?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face on her belly. She caressed his hair softly. They remained silent for a while until he dissolved the embrace and took her hand in his, then he pulled her down so that she was sitting on his lap. He buried his face on the crook of her neck this time.

"I was so afraid Raven. I thought something had happened to you when that second explosion hit. I was desperate, I couldn't even process the thought of losing you," his voice muffled against her skin, his stubble tickling her, creating goosebumps on her pale skin.

"Richard nothing happened. I'm here. I'm safe." She hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead.

Stillness reined the room. He listened carefully to her heart beating; he counted every beat, as if his life depended on it. He broke the embrace and locked his eyes with hers, the hurt was still there. Raven leaned in slowly and barely brushed her lips with his, trying to take the sorrow away from him. He kissed her this time, so slowly and so softly, as if she would break under his touch. Their lips met again, a bit more vigorously this time, but still slowly, as if time had stopped for them. He stood up and pulled her to her feet, holding her by the waist strongly, as they continued kissing. Every kiss was so unhurried and so desperate at the same time. He softly removed her sweater as they stumbled around the room, heading towards her bedroom, still kissing. His hands slid down her shirt and traced circles on her skin as she tangled her hands on his hair. They finally reached her bed and he fell back, she fell on top of him and she smiled in between kisses. The rest of their clothes were dismissed, but she didn't feel exposed. She was so caught up on the emotions, her own sensations, his emotions too, the flow of energy that sizzled through their bond. Their whispers, their heartbeats, his name on his lips and her name on his. She felt safe as she gave herself into him.

Of all the wrong things that life had brought upon her, this felt so right.

* * *

Raven stirred lazily as her eyes fluttered open. She smiled as she felt a pair of strong arms safely secured around her.

"Already awake sunshine?" he murmured into her ear and she shivered unwillingly.

She turned around to face him, their foreheads touching.

"Is there a problem boy blunder?"

"Um actually yes… I think I'm in love with you Miss Roth"

She kissed him lightly and smiled. He brought the sheets on top of their heads and they fell asleep in the silence of the Tuesday afternoon.

* * *

**THE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEND!**

**if I get enough reviews, maybe I'll write an epilogue down :)**

** SEE YOU SOON (I HAVE NEW IDEAS :D)**

* * *

****

OH. Music is a BASIC and GREAT inspiration for me.

**Here are the songs that inspired this words and chapters.**

**Where the fence is low (acoustic version) - Lights (1)**

**Cold Water - Lucy and the Lampshades (2)**

**Carousel - Vanessa Carlton (3)**

**BTSK - MSMR (4)**

**Painting Flowers - All time low (5)**

**Speak up - POP ETC (6)**

**Flaws - Bastille (7)**

**Loud Noises - Yuna (8)**

**Above the Water - Art of Sleeping (9)**

**Like a Thief - Art of Sleeping (9)**

**Stay the night - Zedd & Hayley Williams (10)**

**Change - KT Tunstall (10)**


	11. Epilogue

**~EPILOGUE~**

**~A couple of years later~**

Raven stepped out of the shower, wrapped herself up and sprinted towards her room. She was late and she hated being late. She had started her hospital night shifts last week so she was still adjusting to the infinite working hours and the lack of sleep. She thought a nap would help her regain a bit of strength for the rest of the day, and it did, the problem was that she was so tired she didn't listen to the alarm she had previously set on. Now she was on the run. She rummaged through her closet desperately, searching for her deep blue slipdress, cursing herself for being so disorganized. Finally she found it and she slipped inside the soft fabric. She ran into the bathroom and dried her hair quickly; the black ink was now fading, and her natural lilac strands were beginning to show once more. She was finishing with the eyeliner when she caught his reflection on the mirror.

"Someone's looking fine tonight, huh?" He complimented her as he leaned casually on the doorway.

"Looks like I'm late, huh?" She answered without looking at him. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the crook of her neck.

"Bruce won't mind if we're a little late." He kissed her cheek, then her neck. "Don't worry."

"Pff, nothing to worry about, I'll just have dinner with my boyfriend's foster dad who happens to be Bruce _Wayne,_ who happens to be _Batman_."

"You'll do great Rae, it will just be us, Bruce, Alfred and Damian."

"Ugh, Damian? He hates me Dick…" she sighed and sat on the bed as she put her heels on.

"Damian hates everything, don't take it personally."

He gave her his trademark lopsided smile and she couldn't resist smiling back at him, so she did. He took her hand in his and pulled her up quickly, crashing her to his chest. She realized he was wearing his 'special occasion' black suit and she smiled again. He kissed her suddenly and she kissed him back briefly, before pulling back reluctantly.

"Let's get going, or we'll be truly late," she whispered.

"Whatever you say Rae."He kissed her cheek and intertwined his fingers with hers. "Let's go."

* * *

_**T H E . E N D**_

_**That's all folks! Thanks for sticking with me, for the reviews, the advice, the pleading, the faves and the follows.**_

_****__**Anyway I had many ways to end this properly, but the lack of reviews weren't very encouraging. Hope to see you soon because I am working on a new story, the first chapter is already up so.**_

_**A little fluffy thingie to end this fanfic. If you're not familiar with the Bat family, Damian is Batman's/Bruce Wayne's son. He is a little annoying guy, I just pictured all of them having dinner at Wayne's Manor and Damian being Raven's worst nightmare.**_

_**THANKS AGAIN! Love, JuneGrayson**_


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